Staff photo by Fritz Busch Braxton Burman of Mankato operates a children’s train at the Roundhouse Inc. of St. James Model Railroad Christmas open house Thursday. The model railroad open house concludes 1-5 p.m. Saturday.

ST. JAMES — Several trains operated at once on large layouts of varied sizes at the St. James Model Railroad Club holiday open house Thursday.

Model railroad enthusiasts should know the open house concludes 1-5 p.m. today. It returns for Railroad Days in June and anytime club members decide they want to go to the club building at 307 Tiell Dr., on the southeast side of St. James Lake.

Children, their parents and senior citizens milled about the St. James Model Railroad Club as lighted, smoking model trains with whistles, bells and chugging sounds, toured large, detailed layouts including one of St. James itself with its many grain elevators. Some of the layouts featured moving, lighted cars and trucks and lighted buildings.

Some train track continued through mountains and tunnels.

Club member Clete Olson Madelia said he completed a large, detailed O gauge train layout this summer. HO, S and G gauge layouts also operated in the club house.

“A friend brought me here (to the model railroad club house) in 2008. I joined the club in 2010. Model railroading is a winter hobby that I love,” said Olson, who farms and does road construction work.

“We laid track the last couple years and are starting to install buildings in the HO gauge City of St. James layout that includes similar downtown buildings and Red Owl grocery store,” Olson said.

Many of the railroad layout pieces are bought at swap meets in Albert Lea, Sioux Falls, S.D. and the Twin Cities.

“The O scale layout has 3.4 miles of track, according to scale,” Olson said.

A children’s Lionel layout can be operated by kids themselves.

Club member Bill Nelson of St. James said the model railroad open house is actually open anytime club members want to visit the building.

“If people see our vehicles parked outside, they can come in because we are open,” said Nelson.

A non-profit organization, Roundhouse Inc. was founded in 1989 by a group of rail fans who wanted to promote history of the St. James area using model railroads.

The City of St. James allowed the group to use the old fire hall on Second Street. Large O gauge and HO scale layouts were build on the second floor. It was not uncommon to have 2,000 visitors at the old fire hall on Railroad Days weekends.

The old fire hall was demolished a few years later, Roundhouse Inc. moved to its present location near the St. James Depot Museum near the lake. Roundhouse Inc. provides volunteer staff to man the depot museum, owned by the City of St. James.

Club president Chuck Stoll said the model railroad club relies on donations to operate.

For more information, visit http://www.roundhouseinc./org/about/html